With the Christmas decorations boxed up for another year, I am saying goodbye to the holidays, which brought festivities and loved ones to our home. While the house feels a little empty since our children have gone back to college, it's time for me to say hello to the New Year as the Christmas season fades into the background, along with our beloved Christmas music. While I often wish the holidays could last just a little longer, I realize that's like trying to hold back th

Christmas is a time of celebration and rejoicing. Yet, at times, the celebration and rejoicing of the holiday can take a backseat to the onslaught of wishlists and hosting obligations. From the time our children were very young, we established the tradition of the Christmas Chain for the twelve days leading up to Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve itself, we had a different set of traditions, which included serving Christmas dinner to the homeless at a local food bank. Serving t

After juggling our chaotic schedules throughout the week, we look forward to Saturdays as a way to escape from the busyness of life. Most Saturdays find us on the road, exploring anything from an antique shop to a roadside market. We’ll venture just about anywhere within a 2-3 hours radius of our home.  One of our favorite day-trip destinations is Leesburg, Va. This two hour drive weaves us through the winding backroads of three different states, while showcasing local farms

Beyond the cascade of vibrant colored leaves and the array of pumpkins on display from porches to gas stations, there is another,...

While summer will linger on for another three weeks, Labor Day marks the “unofficial” end of summer. During this holiday weekend, you may...

I once taught a small group of boys. At only 7-8 years of age, this group already held the title of being "problem children". With a...

When the temperatures start to soar and the "dog days" of summer are upon us, I often find myself lacking in both motivation and...

Memorial Day signals the unofficial start of summer. As another school year comes to an end, students across the country celebrate the...

Sewing has never been my forte. In fact, my first brush with sewing occurred in the 7th grade. Running in tandem with a required Home...

In the summer of 2023, my family lost everything in a house fire. Rather than going on a much anticipated vacation while our children...

When our children were between the ages of  7-10, I felt it was time to teach them how to cook. I’ll admit, there were many  times when I...

When our children were young, my husband and I wanted to instill a strong work ethic in them. Around the time they started school, we...

Growing up, my family consisted of  my parents and my two younger brothers. I am the oldest, and for the 1st seven years of my life, I...